University City Projects/News

[Urbanity]

The area needs an intervention, it is completely squandering any chance it had at being a TOD area. Guess its the same old junk we have come to expect gated suburban apartments, big box, car dealerships, and sprawly starter homes. It's like going in a time warp to the early 90's.

Other than the students who will ride this to campus. In my mind the line is done at NODA. The rest of the line will not bring any real TOD past NODA. Expect more of the same.

 

I fully agree that the University City needs an intervention - but these apartments are nowhere near the transit line if actually looked at the map so I don't get a lot of the griping as far as TOD loss here.

 

Also to Ricky's point - where is all the great TOD in South Charlotte once you get past New Bern?  Less than half the South line is surrounded by TOD and developments and even the  TOD that has sprung up from say Bland Station to New Bern only really only kicked off when the line was built and operational.

[southslider]

I fully agree that the University City needs an intervention - but these apartments are nowhere near the transit line if actually looked at the map so I don't get a lot of the griping as far as TOD loss here.

 

Actually, the property between Rocky River Rd and NC-49 is within a half mile of the University City Blvd station.  The station will be located at a new signal roughly halfway between the I-85 Connector and NC-49, only about a block from existing Stetson Drive.

 

But since the property immediately across Tryon from the station is already zoned for another auto dealership (and I'm talking away from I-85, not the rezoning towards the Interstate), it really does seem like a lost cause.  That's right, where one auto mall goes, so do the others soon follow.  Word is more auto dealers are now planning to move into the station area, and on sites that don't even need rezoning.

 

Sure, the South Corridor hasn't seen much TOD past New Bern Station.  However, the area around the future U-City Blvd station is Charlotte's largest GREENFIELD area served by rapid transit.  That's why it's such a huge waste.

 

Imagine if the Matthews Farm site, which is a comparably large undeveloped tract of land, were proposed to be an auto mall, instead of a mixed-use project.  It's right off an interstate, too.  Of course, quality development only gets enforced within Charlotte's urban core and much favored South Wedge.  Everywhere else in the Queen City, any development seems acceptable, with no regard for sustainability.

 

It's one thing to take auto dealerships on South Boulevard and redevelop those into TOD.  It's quite another (and majorly missed opportunity) to develop acres of forest into auto dealerships.

Edited August 3, 2013 by southslider

[Urbanity]

Actually, the property between Rocky River Rd and NC-49 is within a half mile of the University City Blvd station.  The station will be located at a new signal roughly halfway between the I-85 Connector and NC-49, only about a block from existing Stetson Drive.

 

Actually you are talking about the wrong station/development altogether.   I just did a quick map where the red boxes represent three University area stations and the arrow represent the development we are talking about to better illustrate.

 

 

Look at a map and look at how long it is to get their via road if you were walking -  that's why that area is not an TOD for the BLE.  The UNCC stop is behind Laurel Hall area on campus and buffered by  protected wetland/environmental areas, University playing fields, and existing development.

 

I don't disagree with you about the TOD around University City BLVD needs - but that is nowhere near this development.  The University Blvd TOD is closer to Tryon Street  by IKEA if you look at the actual planned stations.

Edited August 3, 2013 by Urbanity

[nowensone]

^Never had a TOD oriented argument myself, but still not "onboard" here, whether next to a station or not, its next to/near a university, and given the area, it's design is still an important and sensitive matter I'd say.  This becomes more important with how plastic and new-suburban this area is and its future.

[southslider]

Sadly, the developments closer to UNCC are more walkable than those near the "IKEA" station.

[AuLukey]

 

 

 

Actually you are talking about the wrong station/development altogether.   I just did a quick map where the red boxes represent three University area stations and the arrow represent the development we are talking about to better illustrate.

 

I believe the initial argument was to the suburban style apartments being built at UCB and Tryon which would be right at one of the stations.  These types of apartment complexes are common among universities in the South.  Duke, Chapel Hill, NC State, App, and Florida all have these same exact apartment complexes built.  Yes, there are a handful of more progressive designs, but the vast majority of what I've experienced at these schools over the last decade is very similar to what can be found in UCity.  Unfortunately, these schools ALSO have more dense, pedestrian friendly mixed use developments to offset these types of apartment developments.

[birky]

Shot of new Circle University City going up across from main entrance to campus. Looks like some of the parking structure is up and they were doing framework when I drove past during lunch.

 

[Niner National]

^One of the few things going on UCity that I like. Wish it had some ground level retail in it though.

[AuLukey]

I'm hijacking a link posted by Neo in the Blue Line thread that shows renderings for the BLE parking decks.

 

I can't believe BOTH the JW Clay Station AND the UCB station are going to have that much ground level retail! 18,000sf at JW and 13,000 at UCB.  Now University City will have a grand total of 31,000 square feet of ground level retail along Tryon...  I never thought I'd see the day.  Here's praying that the apartment complex being planned essentially across the street from the UCB station might actually incorporate this as well.  This might be the most positive thing I've ever seen for University outside of the campus, and it's a damn parking deck! Go figure...

 

Officially holding my breath.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2013 by AuLukey

[New Name]

How do these parking garages connect to the station platforms? Are the stations integrated into the parking structure (kind of like South Boulevard Station)?

[Urbanity]

I believe all of the BLE is at street level and thus and parking decks are adjacent, but there is no need for pedestrian bridges akin to the South Blvd/485 one

[Niner National]

I believe all of the BLE is at street level and thus and parking decks are adjacent, but there is no need for pedestrian bridges akin to the South Blvd/485 one

I thought it would be elevated over the Harris intersection? Traffic is bad enough there without a train interrupting things every 10 minutes.

[southslider]

Trains go over Harris. Deck is at JW Clay.

[Urbanity]

I thought it would be elevated over the Harris intersection? Traffic is bad enough there without a train interrupting things every 10 minutes.

oops - my bad.  Forgot Harris.

[New Name]

Now that I think of it, I think I remember hearing there would be a ped bridge from the JW Clay garage to the median station ala Sharon Road West. I think I answered my own question. 

[Munson79]

Can't wait to be able to park at the lot, jump on a train, and get to uptown for Panthers games, Knights games, Checkers games, shows, and restaurants. Once these trains get in place, linking the burbs to the city center, the city and region will see countless benefits. Throw in the greenways and the Carolina Thread Trail and this part of the country will only grow as a magnet for quality development, smart business relocations, and creative young people. Connectivity is sorely lacking in our over-sprawled area, but it's never too late to build it in.

[AuLukey]

How do these parking garages connect to the station platforms? Are the stations integrated into the parking structure (kind of like South Boulevard Station)?

 

I can't speak for the JW Station as it isn't anywhere in the renderings, but this should give you a good idea of how it could look (ideally without so many lanes of traffic) based on a planning sketch Neighboring Concepts has elsewhere on their site:

 

 

The renderings on their site do show a ped bridge for the UCB station though:

Edited August 13, 2013 by AuLukey

[southslider]

I believe each ped bridge only goes over half of Tryon.  That is, the bridge connects the parking deck to the station, but it doesn't cross all of Tryon.  Besides, there will be a traffic signal and crosswalks at each station, in order to cross Tryon, as well as access the station.  The bridges from the deck just provide another option to access the station, especially if parked on upper levels.

Edited August 13, 2013 by southslider

[tozmervo]

Uhg. I loath median stations.

[New Name]

I hope that UNCC would be extra cautious and pony up for a ped bridge from the median to their campus. Because that station will be heavily used by [drunk] college kids, and [drunk] football fans. I'd hate to think that we'd have to learn a hard lesson by having them running across Tryon at night [drunk].

[Niner National]

I hope that UNCC would be extra cautious and pony up for a ped bridge from the median to their campus. Because that station will be heavily used by [drunk] college kids, and [drunk] football fans. I'd hate to think that we'd have to learn a hard lesson by having them running across Tryon at night [drunk].

Why would students get off at that stop when they could ride it one more station and get off on campus?

[nonillogical]

Why would students get off at that stop when they could ride it one more station and get off on campus?

Well, it would be a totally different part of campus and the other station would make a little more sense if you were, say, going to a football game. I think it would be pretty silly to build a skywalk halfway across the street and not to the other side too. Probably the one place where I would be in favor of one. Its not like we're going to see a road diet of the Tryon & Harris area any time soon. 

[Niner National]

Well, it would be a totally different part of campus and the other station would make a little more sense if you were, say, going to a football game. I think it would be pretty silly to build a skywalk halfway across the street and not to the other side too. Probably the one place where I would be in favor of one. Its not like we're going to see a road diet of the Tryon & Harris area any time soon. 

Well there would be no reason for 'drunk' students to get off at the JW Clay or UCB stations. They're not walking distance to where any students live. There is nothing happening on that side of campus after classes end. The south side of campus essentially has no access to light rail. The North side has two convenient stations (JWC and the on-campus stop).

[New Name]

^I dunno, when I'm drunk, I get off on the wrong stop all the time!! I'm just saying I'd hate to see there be a lesson learned about a safe way to cross this road at this point. 

[jednc]

I hope that UNCC would be extra cautious and pony up for a ped bridge from the median to their campus. Because that station will be heavily used by [drunk] college kids, and [drunk] football fans. I'd hate to think that we'd have to learn a hard lesson by having them running across Tryon at night [drunk].

Would the hard lesson you refer to be to not be drunk public?